Landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have killed nearly 300 people in large swaths of northern India and Pakistan. Five days of incessant rains in Indian-controlled Kashmir have left at least 120 people dead in the region's worst flooding in more than five decades, submerging hundreds of villages and triggering landslides. Rescuers were using helicopters and boats to try to reach tens of thousands of people stranded in their homes as floodwaters rose and submerged many villages.

GlobalFire is responding in conjunction with our sister charity, GlobalMedic, by sending a Rapid Response Team into the area. This team's mandate will not be rescue. The aim is to prevent illness from affecting the population which has now lost access to clean drinking water.

The team is distributing 113,000 "PUR", Purifier of Water Sachets. These sachets which are capable of purifying 1.13 million liters of water, are being distributed to those in greatest need of clean drinking water as a result of the severe flooding in the Kashmir region.

GlobalFire is also supplying Aquaplus Gravity Filters and AP700 water purification units to flood affected families. Aquaplus Gravity Filters can provide a family with clean drinking water for an entire year. Additionally, AP700 water purification units - capable of producing 1000 litres of clean water every hour – will serve communities’ long-term water requirements.

Highly populated central community locations will be targeted in order to reach the greatest number of people in need.